Vol.1 - Chapter 2: Future Plans (6/12)

''I, I'm sorry... Thanks for saving me. I wish you hadn't been caught by Rina so she never included you. Still, thanks for bringing Sana-san, otherwise I'm not sure if I'd be here right now... But I'm sorry to say that Rina will never let go of someone she's obsessed with...''

Unexpectedly, he also broke his silence when the young man next to him talked about the situation.

''Ahh... It doesn't bother me actually. I've already realized more or less what kind of person that shorty is.''

''Ksh... Khaha!"

The auburn-haired young man's previous gloomy face was replaced by a cheerful one as he spoke to Shin. After the last sentence he heard, he could hardly restrain himself from laughing, but this action brought him a bad result.

''Ahh!''

He groaned holding his stomach. Then he spoke in a low voice.

''Hehehe. Well said, but don't say that word everywhere, the walls have ears. She is very sensitive about this. If she hears something like that when she's already angry, she'll literally kill you along with me.''

Shin put a smile on his face when he saw that Minato was cheered up from his gloomy mood just now.

''I think you're right. That woman is crazy, she thinks I'm your apprentice or something. You got me into a ridiculous situation for no reason, but it's not your fault.''

The two sitting side by side smiled at each other and returned to the food in front of them. However, the atmosphere was already brightened up, so their conversation did not end there.

''Thank you.''

Minato gratefully thanked the boy next to him again. This time his gratitude was completely different from his previous gloomy and cold attitude, it was sincere.

''I'm glad I got you out of your previous mood. You really looked like a dead person."

''Was I really like that? Actually, I was already half dead after the beating I took last night, but it's not fitting for GREAT MINATO to behave like this!''

He slammed his hand on the table and raised his voice. He seemed strangely energized and stood up as he continued his enthusiastic words.

''YOU HELPED ME COME TO MY SENSES, I WILL NEVER FORGET THIS FAVOR!''

When he shouted at Shin, he also attracted the attention of everyone around. Although he attracted the eyes of the people around him in a short time, it took him a while to realize it because he was lost in his thoughts.

''Ahem. I think I shouted a little too much. Anyway, as I said, I'm back to my old self.''

Since they woke up late, it was a little late, but there were still not that many people around them. Minato, on the other hand, acted as if he would not break his attitude no matter how many people were around and did not seem to be bothered by drawing attention to himself.

Before sitting back down, he reached out his hand toward the boy next to him to shake hands with him.

'I have no idea what's going on, but I think I've made myself a friend.'

Shin also stood up and shook Minato's hand, nodding his head in approval.

''My name is Minato. You've heard of me before, but we've never met properly, and I've never heard of you either. I didn't even know Yumi-san had a brother.''

The chestnut-haired boy was listening to the young man with a smiling face. With his last words, he was puzzled and lost in thought.

'That's right, I didn't introduce myself to him. But Yumi-san's brother?'

''Huh? What happened?"

Minato asked curiously when he saw the boy's thoughtful demeanor. Shin, on the other hand, immediately collected himself and put the situation together without arousing suspicion.

''Haha, hahaha... Yes, Yumi Sis might not have told you about me. I guess she didn't have time to talk about her family in a city like this...''

After a little pause, he continued.

''My name is Shin. Nice to meet you, Minato-san."

''Nice to meet you too, Shin. You can call me big brother for short.''

After the handshake was over, both of them sat in their chairs and turned their focus back to their food.

''Thanks, I'll pass.''

The chestnut-haired boy rejected the last words of the man next to him with a gentle smile.

''By the way, we slept quite late. Still, I didn't see Sana-san or that shorty around. I don't know about that shorty, but I don't think Sana-san would stop working no matter what.''

Shin had only been here for a day, but even in this short time, he had not neglected to observe his surroundings. The woman named Sana had settled in his mind as such a person. She seemed to be very loyal to Dom and this inn. It was as if this job was more than a simple livelihood for her.

While Shin was thinking over what he had said once again, the young man next to him spoke in a way that confirmed his thoughts.

''Sana-san never quits work as you mentioned. I've been working at this inn for a while and I've never seen her idle. She's probably out to buy something for the inn right now."

''Hmm, so that's it.''

''As for Rina... I'm almost certain she's asleep right now. She doesn't normally wake up before noon. If she was awake, we wouldn't be here, would we?''

As he said the last sentence, his face was covered with concern and the young man was a little flustered.

"She must have been tired after yesterday's work, so she'll probably sleep some more. But the sun is already overhead too, so there's no telling when she'll wake up.''

After that, they chatted a little more and finished their meal. Even if they had finished eating, they could have continued talking from where they were sitting, but Minato's growing anxiety was making it difficult for him to stay longer. It was obvious that he wanted to get away from the place as soon as possible.

''Hehehe... Since we're done eating, it's time to get up.''

He quickly stood up, clasped his hands behind his neck, placed a fake smile on his face, closed his eyes and continued to speak.

''We can't do much by just sitting here and chatting, can we?''

Shin got up from the table with him. Seeing this, the auburn-haired young man started walking slowly towards the exit of the inn.

''I understand your concern, but don't you have to work here? If you skip work again, Rina's anger will increase exponentially and even Sana-san won't be able to save you this time.''

''Don't worry, my working hours end at noon. After the beating I received yesterday, Sana-san thankfully gave my work to someone else so that I could rest today. Rina was angry because she couldn't get out of the inn on a special celebration day. But there's nothing to do, I had important things to do too."

''So that's it. You must truly have important things to have thugs chasing after you. Besides, apart from the celebration day, it seems to me that you like to avoid working, but whatever...''

Minato ignored the first sentence he heard, then continued with an indifferent laugh.

''Nah, I don't even have much time to rest normally. It would be foolish not to use it when I've taken time off from work, right?"

''Sure, sure. So where are you running off to now?"

''I'm not really running away, I'm just going to another job. Huhh... I really don't even have time to rest, do I?"

''I guess you're a hard worker. Ha?"

When the two were about to reach the exit door of the inn, something caught Shin's attention and he stopped walking.

''Of course I am. I'm a perfect person, I'm Great Minato!"

When he realized that the boy next to him had stopped following him, he also stopped walking and turned around to look at the boy.

''What's up? Why are you looking at the stairs, did you forget something up there?"

Shin was frozen as he looked at the stairs. He didn't move his body even a single inch, just staring at a certain spot without blinking.

A few seconds later, there was a loud sound, like a roar, coming from the stairs. Minato didn't realize what was happening, but the chestnut-haired boy who had been looking towards the stairs for a while had already grasped the situation and started running towards the door of the inn with all his might.

''RUN, MINATO, RUN!''

Shin shouted these words as he passed by the auburn-haired young man and left the inn without hesitation.

Minato turned back to the stairs, surprised at what he saw, and the figure he saw, realising his situation in a split second, chased after Shin.

''YOU CAN'T ESCAPE ANYWHERE! COME HERE!!!''